Tuesday, January 6, 2009

"06/01/2009 Once again, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak insists on holding Hamas responsible for the Israeli aggression against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. In a closed conversation Monday, he told a delegation of European foreign ministers that Hamas must not be allowed to win the war with the Israeli army, Haaretz said.....

The Egyptian cease-fire proposal would require Israel to end its military offensive and withdraw from Gaza, while Hamas would have to end rocket fire into the occupied territories. The crossings into Gaza would reopen, but PA officials would be stationed at the Rafah crossing with Egypt. In addition, Egypt is demanding that Hamas resume reconciliation talks with Fatah.

Moussa Abu Marzouk, deputy head of Hamas' political wing, said that Hamas was open to a truce, but said that any proposal must guarantee an Israeli withdrawal and an end to the blockade of Gaza. "